Allegiance Pakistan Name Abdul Khan Service/branch Pakistan Army Unit Baloch Regiment Place of burial Lahore, Pakistan | Service number PA-95 Died Rawalpindi, Pakistan Years of service 1939–1971 Role Commander-in-chief Rank Lieutenant general | |
Buried at Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan Commands held 11th Infantry Division, Lahore
I Corps, Kharian
Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Pakistan Army Battles and wars World War II, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 Similar People Tikka Khan, Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, Gul Hassan Khan, Sagat Singh, Jagjit Singh Aurora | ||
General Abdul Hamid Khan, (Urdu: عبد الحمید خان) , was a four-rank army general in the Pakistan Army, serving as Chief of Staff under President Yahya Khan and led the army during the events in the war with India in 1971.
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Early career
Abdul Hamid Khan was born 29 April 1917. He attended the Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun. He was commissioned a second lieutenant on the Special List 15 July 1939 and was initially attached to the Somerset Light Infantry for experience from 11 August 1939. His date of commission was later antedated to 28 August 1938 and he was promoted Lieutenant 28 November 1940. He was admitted to the Indian Army 27 August 1940. He was appointed acting Captain then temporary Captain on 23 December 1940. He had been posted to 3rd battalion 10th Baluch Regiment by October 1942.
He was promoted war substantive Captain and temporary Major 3 February 1944. He was briefly an acting Lieut-Col 15 August to 18 October 1945. He had attended a war time staff course.
He opted for the Pakistan Army in 1947 and was promoted Lt-Col commanding 6th battalion Baluch Regiment April 1948 - November 1948. He was then appointed Lt-Col commanding 3rd battalion Baluch Regiment from November 1948 to December 1949.
1965 Battle of Khem Karan
During the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War, then Major General Abdul Hamid Khan served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 11th Infantry Division at Kasur. This division in addition to 10th Infantry Division under Major General Sarfraz Khan repelled the Indian thrust at Lahore on 6 September 1965. His division captured the district of Khem Karan in Indian Punjab, though further advances were checked. He then was able to withstand multiple counter-attacks by the Indian Army in an effort to retake Khem Karan.
Career in the Yahya Government
After the war, Abdul Hamid Khan was promoted to Lieutenant General and served as the commander of I Corps, then based in Kharian (it is currently based in Mangla). After martial law was imposed by General Yahya Khan on 25 March 1969, Lt Gen Hamid Khan was made the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Army and Deputy Martial Law Administrator of the country. During that time he briefly held the cabinet portfolio of Home Affairs for four months. He was promoted to full general on March 1969 and was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Army or in other sense the de facto commander-in-chief in place of Yahya as he was the President.
1971 Indo-Pakistan War
General Hamid, the Commander-in-Chief of the army was blamed along with General Yahya Khan for the Pakistani military debacle during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.